In what seemed like an absolute must-win game for a team who is fighting to stay relevant in the Wild Card race, they took care of business. Coming from an unlikely place, Alejandro De Aza provided half the offense on a night they would score 10 runs.
A man who had been tossed aside by many early on in the season and rightfully so, has come around at a time when the Mets needed it most. De Aza was 2-for-4 with a homer and five RBI in Thursday’s 10-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Alejandro could be seen sporting a fist-pump as his homer left Busch Stadium to give the Mets some cushion.
“I was looking for that pitch and I got it, but I didn’t think I hit it out,” De Aza said. “Once I got it, I got a little bit excited.” (NY Post)
De Aza also showed some flare with his glove in the first inning, robbing a home run that would have put the Cards up early. It was a night to be excited all-around for De Aza and his teammates. The five RBI were a career-high for a man who is fighting for opportunities to be in a lineup that has widely forgotten him due to the down year he has had. Manager, Terry Collins knows De Aza’s role may not be his favorite, but he handles it well.
“[De Aza] knows his role, he doesn’t have to like it, but he accepts and gets himself ready,” Collins said. “All he’s needed was a chance to play a little bit, and when he’s got it he’s made the most of it.”
It has been a rough season for De Aza who has hit to a .196/.291/.324 slash line. He has five homers and 18 RBI on the season. He can be a nice role player for this team down the stretch, if able to catch fire at the right time. The Mets now find themselves just 3.5 games back of that final playoff spot as the schedule will begin to lighten up, starting tonight with Philadelphia.
